What do you get if you take one head and put two big holes in it? That's right, a really sore head. And that's what I currently have. I had the deep brain stimulation surgery on Tuesday and got out of hospital on Wednesday. It's fair to say that I underestimated how tiring seven hours under general anaesthetic and brain surgery would be.
It can take up to a week for the anaesthetic to be flushed out of the body and until then I can expect to feel tired and sick. Yuck! Asides from that, my head hurts a lot. As does my chest where the battery has been put. And my hair is full of glue to hold my head together! Basically, I feel terrible.
What superhuman talent do I now possess? Flight? X-ray vision? (I've never been much of a comic book fan, I don't know any more.) No, for a couple of hours on Wednesday I could drink without a straw. I already can't do that anymore; as the swelling in my brain goes down after the surgery the stimulator will need reconfiguring. That reconfiguration will take place on Friday coming and then I need to spend some time strengthening my hands. I'm ridiculously weak (even more so than I used to be). I can't even pick up a cup of tea because I haven't used my hand for so long! The turning on of Eve (the device) is all a bit sci-fi; they do the right hand side of my body first and then the left hand side. I get tingling sensations in my face, hands and feet. I'm hoping that over time I will learn to write, use a knife and fork and use a mouse and keyboard again.
I actually have alarmingly little time to do that; I have a job starting three weeks tomorrow! It's a six month temporary contract at Virgin Money. I can't wait! I'm already pretty nervous because I know how big an adjustment it will be.
Today is the day of the London marathon. It's always a tough day for me because it gets so much coverage. My feelings lie somewhere between jealousy and resentment of those participating. I'd give anything to be able to run again. I'd give just as much to be able to walk even. I've booked in for some more tattoos; one of those is "16-Dec-2012, 18.8 miles, 2:06:11". That's the date, distance and time of my furthest run when I was training for the Manchester marathon. (Before I broke my foot!) I'm getting it down the side of my right foot, it's to remind me that I am that person; I am determined and resilient. I also know that no run I ever did was nearly as difficult as it is to just walk a few metres for me now. I know, boo-fucking-hoo, right?
To end on a much lighter note, another of the tattoos I am getting is, "I'm picking up good vibrations. She's giving me excitations." It's going on my chest somewhere near the battery. Why? Because why wouldn't you get a Beach Boys lyric tattooed onto your body for a joke?
